A Twist of Fate
by Piper Emerald
Summary: When Hatter and Jack are banished to the world beneath Wonderland, there is some sort of mistake. They find themselves near a small town in the world that Alice came from. The two enemies are forced to work together to survive, and they find that maybe they aren't destined to be ememies after all. (I own nothing.)
1. Falling Up

Hatter

At first everything was still, and I wondered if this was it? If I was dead, and the rest of entirety would be this still cold nothing. But I wasn't dead.

Then everything changed. I was falling. Falling faster than I thought was possible. The air around me stung my skin.

Jack still had hold of my arm. The dagger had slipped from my grip. I feared that I would land on it, if this fall ever ended. If I was lucky Jack would land on. He would deserve that.

We had been falling for to long, then something odd happened. We stopped in midair, it felt like the air around me was shifting. Then we began to fall the other way.

Falling up. It made no seance, but it was happening. It felt almost like Jack was being sucked upward, and he was pulling me along with him. I hated that.

It seemed as if we had been falling for hours, when I saw alight ahead. It hit quicker that I thought it would. Suddenly I was sprawled on a hard ground. I felt a sharp pain in my leg, I seemed to have landed awkwardly on it. It tried to shift my weight, but it was to painful.

I heard a clatter in front me. I looked and saw my dagger inches away from my face. There was a groan from a few feet away from me. Jack. I didn't want to have to deal with the knight right now.

I tried to look around me. I was laying on what seemed to be a path way. It was black, and the were lights around it. It was dark out, I assumed that it was night. This was not how I had expected the world beneath Wonderland to look like.

Then it hit me. I knew where I was. It looked different then it had before, but it was the same place. It was the only place that made any seance.

* * *

Jack

Took a moment to look around me. Where was I? One thing was for sure: this wasn't the world beneath Wonderland.

I was lying on a hard, flat surface. My arms were soar, but I didn't seem to be injured. I pulled myself up. Hatter was, face down, a few feet away from me. Her dagger was lying next to her, and from a moment I wondered it I should try to grab it before she picked it up.

I heard something honking sound from behind me. I turned to look and was greeted by to bright lights coming from a medal machine. What was that? It was coming at me fast. I sprang to my feet, and ran out of the way. I looked back at Hatter. She didn't move. She was going to get run over by this machine.

I wanted to leave her, but something inside me told me not to. She was still a person, right? I knew I would regret this.

"Hatter?" I bent down and nudged her. "Hatter, you need to move!" I sounded incredibly stupid, but that didn't matter.

"Hatter, your going to get hit."

"What?" She mumbled, she reached for the knife. If her plan was to stab me she was going to have to try a lot harder. I reached over her, grabbing the knife before her fingers could find it. She sent me a death glare as she tried to pull herself up. She gave a gasp, as she noticed the contraption heading our way.

Hatter tried to get to her feet, but let out a howl in pain. She had hurt her leg, apparently. I offered her my hand, but she just looked at me, obviously confused. I didn't even know why I was helping her myself. She didn't deserve it.

In stead of waiting for her to take my hand, I took hers and pulled her out of the way of the passing contraption. It zoomed by us a second latter. That was too close.

Hatter pulled away from me, but fell the moment that she was standing on her own. She couldn't kill me, so she didn't want anything to do with me. I didn't want anything to do with her, but I felt as if I didn't have a choice. Maybe she knew where we were. I didn't like the thought of leaving her with her leg in that state, no matter how evil she was.

"Where are we?" I asked, not particularly to her, but I was hoping that she would answer.

"The world above Wonderland. That place that Alice came from." She didn't sound like she wanted to be talking to me, but I had just saved her life, so she at least owed me an answer.

"What?" How did get here?"

* * *

Hatter

"You heard me", I retorted, as I tried to pull myself up again. I wondered if my leg was broken. Great, I'm stuck in the middle of this strange place, with a broken leg. I almost managed to get to my feet, but my leg screamed in protest.

"Stop", Jack put his hand on my shoulder. "You're going to make it worse."

Was he trying to rub in the fact that I had lost, and was now helpless? He still had my dagger.

"What do you want?" I growled at him.

"Nothing", he said. I gritted my teeth. What were we doing here? Here the two of us weren't real. Alice would wake up anytime now, thinking that her whole adventure was a dream.

Jack probably didn't realized this. Or maybe he did, maybe that was the reason he was trying to help me. No, I wasn't going to let him help. I still had my pride.

"Here, let me see you leg, I can recognize a broken bone."

"No, leave me alone."

"You want to just to lie in the middle of the street, alone, in a world that you've been in for five minutes?" I groaned.

He had a point, and we were both strangers to this world. I might as well let him help me. I could always find away of disposing of him if anything went wrong.

"Fine", I sighed, trying to pull myself to a sitting position. "Is it broken?"

Jack knelt beside me. "Can you straiten it?" I did. He waited a moment before saying: "No, it's sprained badly, but not broken."

"Good."

"But you still shouldn't put that much weight on it. So", he clasped his hands together. "You know where we are?"

"I already told you."

"So, you've been here before."

"Yes, idiot, I have been here before." Then it dawned on me, and I said, more to myself than to him: "I think I know how to get back."

"Back?"

"To Wonderland."

"No. You're not going back."

"What?"

"I won't let you. You can't go back."

"And you think you can stop me?" I let out a laugh, that I imminently regretted. I was siting on the ground, not even able to stand up, and while he was on his feet, as strong as ever, with my knife in his hand.

"Yes. I can definitely stop you", Jack said. "Besides, what would you even do if you could get back. After what just happened, you have no chance of ever overthrowing The Queen." He was right, I hated it, but he was right.

"Fine, but do you want to spend the rest of your live here?" He swallowed, but didn't answer. "Here, where you're not even a real person. You're just an illusion of Alice's husband."

"You're not real either", was all that he said. That wasn't possible, though. We were real, just not here. We were story book characters. But he was right, I couldn't go back to Wonderland. There I would face certain death, but I couldn't stay here.

Jack wouldn't go back, he was to determined to stop me from going. He wouldn't last a day in this world. He knew nothing about this world, but then again I didn't know much either.

"We should find a place to stay." I said, hating the fact that I had acknowledged that we were in this together. "That might be hard, considering the fact that we don't have any money." I smiled to myself, wondering if I could blackmail Alice and get enough money to start a life here. Start a life here, that sounded terrible, even in my head.

"Wait!" He reached in his pocket, and pulled out a small coin purse. "Alice dropped this when we went through the looking glass."

"Is there any money is there?" Jack opened it and peered inside.

"Is this what money looks like here?" He held up some green pieces of paper. I examined one, it had the number twenty on each side.

"Yes, I think this is money."

"So you want to just walk around until we find so sort of place to stay?" I sighed.

"Do you have a better idea?"

* * *

Jack

"No", I admitted, but I didn't think that Hatter was in the best state for a walk. I considered leaving her while I found a place, and then coming back for her. I put that out of my head, we didn't know if the place that we were right now was dangerous, I shouldn't leave her alone while she was hurt. Even if she was who she was, had enough knowledge of this world to survive.

I put her knife in my jacket pocket. Then I offered her my hand to help her stand up, she stood very shakily. She had to cling to my arm for support, I didn't think that she was too happy about that. I looked around.

"Which way should we go?" I asked.

"I don't know, does it matter?"

"Let's go this way then."


	2. A New Day

Hatter

This wasn't New York. Maybe that was good, there wouldn't be the temptation of visiting dear Alice. Although it would have been nice to know where we were. There weren't any building where we had come through, and I was surprised that there were street lights. There were trees, it seemed we were near a woods.

A town had to be near. Why would they build a road, with street lights, if a town wasn't near? And then there was that car. It had to be going somewhere.  
The walk was long, and I began to think it was pointless. I foot banged against a small rock, it sent a jolt of pain up my leg. I bit my lip.

I don't know how long it had been before we reached the town, but it felt like hours. It was a small town, it seemed that at this time of night most people were a sleep. There still were some people about, though.

"You don't exactly blend in", whispered Jack. The few people who were around started at my clothing.

"Thank you for stating the obvious." I remarked dryly. I was tired, and at the moment I didn't care if I was attracting attention.

Soon we had approached a big house with a sign that read "Inn" above the door. There were inns in Wonderland, so we knew what this was. There was a desk in the first room. It had dark red carpets and grayish blue wall paper, a painting of a meadow hung on the wall. The place made me sick, but I was relived that we had found it.

There was a blond girl, about in her twenties, at the desk, she greeted us with a huge smile. So far I wasn't a fan of this town. "Hi, can I help you?" She asked, her voice was sweet as honey, it was annoying.

"We...um...we'd like a room." Murmured Jack. "I mean, two rooms."

"Sure", said the girl. "What's with the costume?" She asked me. "Are you supposed to be the Mad Hatter or something?" Jack gave a nervous laugh that made me wish that I could kick him. The girl razed an eyebrow. "Two rooms comes out to forty bucks an night, twenty for each room. How long do you plan on staying?"

"We'll pay nightly", said Jack after some hesitation. He pulled two of the papers with the number twenty on them. The girl took these.

"I can show you two to your rooms", she said.

She led us down threw a room and up a stairwell, which was no fun going up. We walked halfway down a hallway, before stoping.

"These two are your rooms", the girl pointed to two door that were next to each other. She handed Jack the keys. I realized that I was still holding his arm for support, and wished that I could let go.

"Thanks", he said.

"My name's Alice, by the way." Said the girl. I was momentarily stunned. Her name was Alice. Was this some sort of joke?

"I'm Jack", Jack said. "And this is...um...Hattie!" God, I wished I could kick him!

"It's nice to meet you, welcome to town." Alice smiled warmly.

"Hattie?" I asked, once she was gone.

"It was the first thing I thought of." Jack said defensively, I glared at him.

"Then you should never rely on your instincts." He laughed at this.

Jack helped me get into my room. It was small, but I couldn't see anything wrong with it, yet. Jack handed me the key and turned to go. He stopped for a moment and turned back.

"Her name is Alice. Does that bother you?" He asked me.

"I don't know, Jack", I said, irritated. "It's late, can't you ask me this tomorrow?"

"Fine", he walked out and closed the door behind him. I held on to the handles of a dresser to keep from falling, as I locked the door.

It did bother me that the girl's name was Alice, but I didn't want to say so to Jack.

* * *

I awoke to light poring through the window. Every muscle in my body ached. I sat up and rubbed sleep from my eyes. I tried to get up out of bed. My leg still hurt, but it wasn't as bad as last night.

I was able to stumble to the bathroom. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a mess and there were dark circles under my eyes. I looked nothing like the strong and mighty person that I had been a day before. I had lost myself.

I sighed and placed my hat on my head. That made me feel a little better. But in the end what was I? I wasn't even my own person. I was just the part of Alice that she was better off without.

No, I thought. Feeling sorry for myself wasn't going to help with anything. I was alive, that counted for something.

I heard a nock on the door. I limped over to it, my hand on the wall for balance. I pulled open the door, to reveal Jack standing there.

"What do you want?" That came out a little harsher than I had intended it to.

"Well that's a nice way to say hello", he remarked. If he was looking for an apology, he wan't getting one. "Alice wants to give us a tour of the town."

"And how much money does she want to charge us for it?" I asked dryly.

"It's free, she just wants to help. And you're going to need all the help you can get."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means come on." I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. I might as well see this place." I muttered as the stepped through the doorway. I nearly tripped on my first step out in the hallway.

"Need some help?" Jack asked me.

"No, I don't." I said coldly.

"Suit yourself."

The third time I nearly tripped, however, I did except his offer of helping me balance. When we arrived down stairs, Alice waved cheerfully. "Morning Hattie", she exclaimed. I tried not to wince at her referring to me as "Hattie". "I see Jack was able to convince you to come for our little tour." She aimed a smile at Jack.  
"Well we can start the tour by getting some food, there's a diner right across the street. Follow me." And with that, our tour guide was out the door. We followed at a slower speed.

"Try to be nice." Jack whispered to me as if I was a child. I shot him an annoyed look, but said nothing.

The diner wasn't fancy. Alice informed us that the whole town seemed to have an old fashion theme. I wasn't sure if this was a joke or if the town really was old fashion.

My outfit attracted many odd looks from other diners. "We can get you some normal clothes after." Alice said to me as we sat down at a table. Apparently Jack's knight jacket was considered "normal" clothes here.

"So where are you two from?" Alice asked, I waited for Jack to answer.

"Out of town", was all he said. Idiot.

"I see, but what brings you here? Did your car break down?"

"No", I answered, knowing that Jack had no idea what a car was. "We were traveling with a group, but they kicked us out near here." I had become a rather experienced lier over the years, and expected Alice to eat that up.

"Oh. I hope you don't mind me asking. You see, we don't get a lot of visitors."

"We didn't even know this town existed." Jack said truthfully.

"No one does. It's not on a map, true places never are." She smiled as if she was quoting something, but saw it go right over our heads. "Don't get me wrong, people have stumbled here before. It just doesn't happen very often."

"Have you always lived here?" Jack asked her.

"No, I visited once when I was a girl, and then moved here a few years latter." She was talkative. "Do you think your group will be back for you?"

"Um...No, no, I don't think so. They won't." Jack wasn't the best lier.

"To bad. So how long do you plan on staying?"

"Maybe a few months", I put in before Jack could say anything.

"Do you plan on getting a jobs? How much money do you have?" Well, she was just full of questions, wasn't she?

"Yeah, we plan on getting jobs." Jack said before I could say no. I stamped on him foot with my good leg, but he ignored it. "Actually, if you know anywhere that's hiring, it would be a huge help." Shut up! I kicked him, hard, but he ignored it.

"Well, I'm looking for some extra help at the inn."

"Do you own it?"

"Yeah. It's not super busy, so I was trying to make it into a breakfast and bed for extra cash. The problem is, it's a lot for one person to do on their own."

"Well we can help with that. No guarantees that we know how to cook, though." The two of them laughed, although it wasn't funny, and I forced a fake smile.

* * *

The rest of breakfast went petty much the same way. Alice asked a bunch of noisy questions, and I saved Jack from looking like an idiot with his terrible lying skills. After that Alice took us to a few shops, where we both bought boring clothes. All in all one of the worst morning that I've had to suffer through in a long time.

I did have to admit that she was right about me not dressing normal. I attracted far less attention, when I was dressed in a simple blouse and pants. I kept my hat on, despite the protests form my companions. My hat was what made me who I was, and I wasn't about to just toss it away.

We stayed out for the whole day, Jack and I were able to catch on to a few more things about this world. I was exhausted, by the time we arrived back at the inn. Part of me was still in shock about what had happened the day before, being here and not in Wonderland.

We planed to start "work" in the morning. "Why?" I asked Jack as we walked up to our rooms. This was the first time today that we hadn't been in the company of Alice.

"'Why' what?" He asked back.

"Why did you tell that girl that we were looking for work?" Did I have to spell everything out for him?

"Because, we don't have enough money to not get jobs. What do you think happens when we run out of money?"

"Well, I don't want to work for her." I said fully aware of how childish I sounded.

"I'm not going be the only one who gets a job, and have to pay for you to stay here."

"I'm not asking you to."

"Yes, but it's expected. We came here together." He was right, and I hated to have to admit that.

"Ok, fine. Whatever." I said, we had reached to our rooms. I opened the door to mine and went in, not saying anything else to Jack. In the end he was still my enemy. He was the reason that I was here. He and Alice, our Alice not the other one, had ruined everything that I had worked so hard to create. He was my downfall, not my friend. I couldn't forget that.

* * *

**Thank you to Scarlet Phlame and ThatInfamousGrin for reviewing. **


	3. Working

Jack

When I woke up the clock said that it was six thirty. I had always been a morning person, which hadn't mixed well with (k)night school. When I walked down I found Alice talking to a few other the guests who were staying at the inn. I hadn't seen any of them before, but figured that we weren't the only ones.

"Good morning", Alice greeted me, after the guest had left.

"Morning."

"Ready for your first day of work?" She asked with a bright and cheery expression.

"I guess so."

"Well, I was planning on cleaning a most of the rooms today, while the guests were out. But I have some paperwork to be doing, so I think I'll send you and Hattie to do that. Is that alright with you?"

"Sure."

"Great, is it alright if we settle out your guys paycheck tonight? I really have a lot on my plate right now. Guess taking yesterday off wasn't the best idea."

"Tonight's fine with us", I said, although I couldn't be sure what would be fine with Hatter.

"Cool, I'll give you guys an hour to go get some breakfast. Then come back here and I'll explain exactly what I need you to do." She didn't wait for an answer, she just scurried to her next task. _She's sure is a busy-body_, I thought as I headed back upstairs to tell Hatter what was going on.

I knocked on the door, but there was no answer. I nock again. "Hello?" I called threw the door. "Hatter?" I nocked some more and kept calling out her name. Eventually the door opened.

"If you're trying to break down the door you're doing a pour job", Hatter said groggily.

"Come on, we start work in forty five minutes."

"What?"

"It was an hour, but it took you fifteen minutes to come to the door, come on." She sighed heavily, before stepping out of the door and closing it behind her.

"Are you hungry?" I asked as we walked to the diner.

"How much money do you have left?" She asked, ignoring my question.

"Enough", I said, having seen how much breakfast had cost the day before.

"But how much?" She asked again.

"All you need to know is that it's enough for one more day." I said grinning. "Or more. One more day or more." I hastily added. She laughed at this, a real laughed, which didn't sound right coming from her. Alice had instead on helping us pay for clothes the other day. If it wasn't for her charity, we probably would be out of money.

It was true that we didn't have much, but I liked the ability to lord the fact that I knew the exact amount over Hatter. Or should I say Hattie, as I called her in front of others. I'm sure she could've, and probably had, come up with something better, but it was funny to see that look on her face when ever she was addressed by it. Is it to childish to pretend that was revenge?

Of course it really wasn't. I have put revenge out of my mind. I was above that, and she was getting her punishment. I didn't like the fact that I had to constantly be around her and pretend that we were friends. In fact a few days ago she had tried to kill me and the woman I love.

I had thought of Alice constantly these past two days. Not, the Alice at the inn, my Alice. I knew in my heart that she didn't think that I was real. She thought that I was nothing more than a dream.

Besides, she had her life. A family. I wasn't a part of that. I had been her reminder not to give up, but that was all I really was.

I pushed the thoughts from my mind. It wouldn't do to think of such things right now. Right now I needed to focus on what was really going on. I was here in the middle of nowhere and I needed to survive.

I might as well bring Hatter with me. She was the reason that I was here. And was it bad that her presence reminded me of Alice, just a little? They were the same after all. Well, more like they were opposites, but that was what made them the same.

"Day dreaming?" Hatter asked, although judging from her tone she didn't care what the answer was. Our food had come, and, apparently, I was too lost in thought to notice. As we ate, our table was filled with an awkward silence.

A silence that I wanted to break, but I didn't want to have to talk her. I had tried to let go of the anger that I felt towards this woman, it would only end up hurting me in the end. But that didn't mean I had to like her. It was enough to have to pretend when we were in front of Alice (the other Alice, the one from the inn.)

* * *

Hatter

When we got back to the inn, after breakfast, Alice had a list of things for us to do. Well, it wasn't really a list, just one task that would take all day. She gave us cleaning supplies and told us how to clean the rooms. Then she gave us a list of which rooms to clean and what time to clean them. So yeah, we actually did get a list.

I had become a maid, it felt like an insult on my pride. The little of my pride that I still had left. Jack seemed not to mind the fact that he, a knight, was now reduced to a life of cleaning strangers rooms. Of course the reason that he was here, was because he had gone down being the hero. A lot of good that had done him.

Getting our cart of cleaning supplies up the stairs proved to be a tricky task. We ended up having to carry it, one of us on one end, one on the other. This meant that I ended up having to walk backwards.

At first I had lied and said that my leg still hurt and I couldn't walk backward up stairs. This didn't work, Jack had noticed that I hadn't limped or stumbled all day. The reason why he didn't decide to "be the bigger person" and volunteer to carry that end, escapes me.

* * *

We spent a good five hours cleaning. I regret to think that, after about the third room, we started to get pretty good at it. Every so often I would skimp on my share and let Jack make up for it.

Alice found us when we went to return the cart.

"How'd it go?" She asked.

"Good, I think we did a good job." Answered Jack.

"That's great! Well, it's about lunch time. I know a cheep but good restaurant that I should show you guys. Come on." I was beginning to suspect that this girl had no friends.

At the end of the day Alice told us that she could pay us twenty dollars a week each, and our rooms would be free. She said that when the diner part of the inn kicks off she'll hopefully be able to raise our pay. I didn't know what was the sum of an average pay in this world, so I wasn't sure if I should be happy or angry. Jack seemed pleased, and I took that as a good sign.

* * *

**Thanks to Scarlet Phlame for reviewing.**

**Please R and R!**


	4. Reliving The Past

Jack

As I turned to leave to the room, and turn in for the night, Alice called out my name to stop me. "Jack, could I talk to you for a moment?" Hatter was already out of the room when she asked this. I nodded as I turned back to face her.

She was still seated at table that the three of us had been talking at a moment ago. I took a seat across from her. "Jack, I'm going to tell you something that might shock you, but I don't want you to deny that it's the truth." Her tone was serious, a her usual happy-go-lucky expression was gone.

"Ok..." I said slowly.

"I know that you're not from this world, neither is Hattie. You're from Wonderland." I wasn't completely sure what to say here.

"How do you know?" I found myself blurting out.

"I know because I've been there. I was the first Alice."

"But I thought that the first Alice lived over a hundred years ago." I murmured.

"I'll explain my story after I've heard yours."

"Fair enough, what do you want to know?"

"Why you're here."

"I'm getting the sense that you know that answer." She sighed.

"I know that you need to be banished to get here. You need to be banished, either wrongly or at the wrong time."

"What do you mean by 'wrongly'?"

"I mean you don't deserve it. You were either falsely accused or were banished for no good reason. I'm getting the idea that you were wrongly banished, I can't say the same for your friend." She gestured to the door that Hatter had exited from.

"She's not my friend", I said before I could stop myself. Alice raised an eyebrow, she was a lot smarter than I had thought. "Ok, I'll explain." I took a deep breath before telling her my story. Starting from the moment that I met Alice, and ending at the moment I met her. "I think you know the rest."

"Yes, I also think I know why Hatter's here as well as you."

"Why?"

"I think you might have brought her, accidentally. Some sort of invisible force pulled you here, and I think you pulled her with you."

"Oh, if I had known that I would have let go of her."

"Would you, really?" Her question surprised me. "I mean you saved her from being hit by the car."

"That was different." I said stubbornly.

"How?" I opened my mouth to answer, but that was when I realized that I didn't have an answer. "My point exactly." She said with a smug smile.

"Ok, I told you my story. Now it's your turn."

"Fine, it was about ten years after my 'adventure'. I had move here, after hearing rumors of strange things happening in this town. I soon discovered that here was where people who were banished came through.

"One day I met a strange man, who claimed to be from Wonderland. After talking with him I realized that he was insane and had been banished after killing several people, and attempting to kill The Queen.

"He had been banished at exact moment of that there was a lunar eclipse in Wonderland. This altered the way that he was banished. It pulled him to this world, instead of the world beneath Wonderland where he belonged.

"His seances hadn't come back to him since his arrival, and I was able to tick him and trap him inside a cave in the woods. I'm still not sure how this happened, but the boulders in front of the cave sealed themselves at the only opening.

"I thought that was that, and he would stay trapped in there until he died, but I was wrong. At that moment a eery voice filled my ears. The voice said that he would be frozen inside the cave, until the time was right. It said that I to would be frozen, but not in the same way. I can't age a day, until that man unfreezes. I'll know he's unfrozen when this watch stars to tick again." She pulled a small watch from her pocket. I nodded slowly, that was a lot to take in.

"Don't people notice you not aging?"

"Ever since that day, no one ever stays at the town for over a year. Once they leave, they don't come back."

"You don't ever get lonely?"

"Of course I do! I'm waiting for the watch to tick again so I can leave this place."

"Wait, you can't leave?"

"Well, I can, but I how am I supposed to explain not aging in the real world?" She brought up a good point.

"I'm sorry", I said noticing the stress and sorrow in her voice.

"No, you have a right to know. So does your companion. You should tell her, at least that I know who she is."

"I guess you're right." I said as she stood up.

"And, if I were you, I would try to give her a chance to change. I know she did try to kill you, but think I can see good in her. I know you see it to. Good night, Jack." She left the room, then. Leaving me sitting alone, contemplating what had just happened.

* * *

I nocked twice on Hatter's door. It wasn't that late, so I didn't expect her to be asleep. If she didn't come to the door in a few minutes, I would just tell her in the morning.

However she did answer the door, with an expression that said she wasn't happy to see me. "What?" She asked, her tone dripping with annoyance.

"I just had an odd conversation with Alice."

"Good for you!" She said sarcastically.

"Hatter, she knows." I didn't have to explain anymore, I could tell by the look on her face that she knew exactly what I meant. "Can I come in?" I asked, not wanting to have this conversation in the middle of the hallway.

"How does she know?" Hatter asked me, the moment I had closed the door behind me. I took a deep breath, before repeating to her most of my conversation with Alice.

"She could be lying." Hatter said when I had finished talking.

"Do you really think she is. What would she gain?"

"Ok, fine, she's telling the truth."

"I think it's the only logical explanation."

"So her age being frozen is a logical explanation?"

"I think you just don't want to admit that I'm right." She rolled her eyes at this.

"This isn't even a situation for there to be a right or wrong."

"Think what ever you like, but I think she's telling the truth."

"I never said that I thought she wasn't."

"Yes, you did." I snorted.

"No, I said that she could be lying. I didn't say I thought that she was." Hatter could be very frustrating.

"Whatever, Hattie."

"Don't call me that!" I chuckled at that response. I realized that, for a moment, it didn't seem like I was fighting with my enemy. No, it felt more like I was bickering with an old friend. Maybe Alice was right.

Suddenly, her cheeks turned scarlet.

"You need to leave." She said quickly, as she motioned to the door.

"What?" I asked surprised at her mood change. "Are you alright?"

"You heard me, White Knight." I did as she asked, and left the room. She slammed the door behind me, the moment I was out.

What had gotten into her?

* * *

**Thank you to Scarlet Phlame for reviewing.**


	5. Changing For The Better

Hatter

I didn't want to have to leave my room, I didn't want to have to talk to Jack or Alice. I didn't want to have to face myself. I wasn't myself, not anymore.

Something inside me was changing. I was becoming weak. I had felt something, last night, when I was talking to Jack. Something that I had never expected to feel.

I told myself, over and over, how much I hated him, but I knew that it wasn't working. He wasn't my friend, he never was. I had tried to kill him. He was the reason that I was stuck here. Nothing worked. An invisible wall had started to crumble, and there was no possible way to stop it.

* * *

I heard a nock on the door, then another one. I glanced at the clock, it was seven fifty. "Hatter?" It was Jack. "I know you're in there!"

"I'm not feeling well!" I shouted at the door. "Tell Alice that I can't work today." I could just see the expression on his face.

"You can't just say that you're sick when you don't feel like coming out."

"I'm not a child, Jack." Why had I used his name? He was silent for now. I didn't want to say anything more.

"I'll tell Alice that you're sick." He said at last. I didn't reply, but I doubt that he waited for a thank you.

I waited a moment, 'til I was sure that he was gone, before relaxing. I buried my head in my pillow. Why was this happening to me?

* * *

Jack

"She says that she's not feeling well", I told Alice as a walked into the room. "I think that she's lying, though. She didn't sound sick."

"Did she say that she was sick or that she wasn't feeling well, because not feeling well doesn't necessarily mean that she's sick."

"Are you still going to pay her?"

"I don't think that's your business. You told her what I told you last night?"

"Yes."

"It's a lot to take in."

"I heard the same story, and I'm alright."

"Just give here a day, I don't think that she's just being lazy."

"No offense, but you don't know her." Alice was silent for a moment.

"That's ok, it's not like I have anything for you guys to do today. Maybe you should rest as well, think of it as a day off."

"A day of after only one day of work?"

"Sure. Besides, did you rest at all since you can here?"

"No, not really but-"

"So take a day off from having to worry."

"Ok, you win. I'll rest today." I turned to go, but stopped for a second. "Alice?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know how to drive a car?"

"Of course. I have a car, I just don't use it very often."

"Do you think you could teach me?" She smiled.

"I'd be happy to."

* * *

Hatter

I heard another nock at the door. Why couldn't Jack just leave me alone? Funny, I'm sure he had been thinking similar thoughts not to long ago.

"Hatter?" It was Alice's voice, not Jack. At least she wasn't calling me "Hattie".

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine", I made no effort to hide the frustration in my voice.

"Can I come in?" I thought for a moment, what was the point in saying no? I couldn't stay cooped up in here forever.

"Sure." I was going to have to talk to her at some point. I pulled myself up, unlocked the door, and opened it. Alice had her usual bright smile, that I was beginning to find less and less annoying. I couldn't deicide if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

"You're not in trouble for lying about being sick." She said to me. "Jack said that he told you what I told him last night." I nodded. "It's a lot to take in."

"He told you his story, didn't he?" I asked suddenly.

"Yes, he did."

"Then why are you still helping me? He told you what I did, what tried to do."

"I'm helping you because you're lost, both of you are." She didn't mean that we were literally lost, she meant that our souls were. That we still hadn't found our way.

"I'm not lost. I know who I am." Alice gave me a look that made me feel as if she could see right inside of me. That she could read my heart and soul.

"Do you still? Be honest with me."

"Why should I have to tell you anything? I don't even know you."

"You don't know anyone, except for Jack. I can help you." I was silent, I didn't know what to say. I both didn't want to say anything, and wanted to tell her everything. "You're changing, aren't you? You're loosing what you once thought made you who you are." I nodded, she was starting to make me uneasy. "You can tell me, I'm going to tell him."

"I don't know what's happening", I admitted. "I think I am loosing myself." Alice nodded and put her hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me.

"How are you loosing yourself?" I didn't have to answer, but for some reason I felt as if I needed to. As if I needed to tell someone.

"I'm becoming weak, I'm starting to care. And I think my connection with Alice is breaking."

"What?"

"I used to be able to feel what she was feeling and occasionally know what she was thinking. But now, no matter how hard I try, I can't find her." I knew that by telling her this I was accepting to myself that this was the truth.

"Is that such a bad thing?" I thought for a moment, was it? All of my life I had secretly wish that I was my own person.

"No. But I've had this connection all of my life."

"Well now you can start a new life. You can start over. You don't have to be the villain anymore." I didn't respond. "I know that Jack saved your life when you two arived here. If you show him that you are trying to change, he will want to help you."

After a moment of silence, Alice slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. I thought about what she had said.

Who gave her the right to tell me these things? She didn't know me. She had no idea who I was and what I was capable of. No, I wasn't capable of anything, now. She was right about me.

I had the opportunity to change who I was. I had to, I couldn't last here as the person that I had been before. I had to change. I wanted to.

* * *

Jack

"I talked to Hatter", Alice told me. We were at a restaurant that she had wanted to show me, I take it she had wanted to show Hatter as well.

"And?"

"And she's not feeling well."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah." I had a feeling that was not all, but didn't want to ask a second time. Something was going on with Hatter.

"It's just a hard transition for her", Alice seemed to have read my mind. "From Wonderland to this world. She's not as immortal as you think she is."

"I never said that I thought she was immortal."

"No, but you were thinking it." Conversations with Alice were getting weirder and weirder.

* * *

Hatter

I stayed up in my room for the whole day. Alice brought me some food at around twelve o'clock. I thanked her for it, surprising both her and myself. She was not the girl that I had thought her to be. I was glad for that.

* * *

**Thanks to Scarlet Phlame for reviewing.**


	6. Days Go By

Jack

The next morning I woke up at the usual time. After getting dressed I went down to see what Alice wanted us to do today. I didn't expect that Hatter would be awake, but I didn't know if Alice wanted me to wake her.

When I went down I asked Alice if she had anything for us to do today. "I have a few rooms for you to clean, but that shouldn't take to long."

"Is that all?"

"Sadly, I told you business can be slow."

"Should I see if Hatter's awake?"

"Yeah, we can get some food before starting the day. I should teach you guys how to cook before you eat me out of house in home. I'm only joking, Jack." She added the last bit after seeing the look on my face. "Yes, you should go see if she's awake. If she doesn't come out, tell me. Don't just stand the shouting at the door, she'll get aggravated."

"Ok", I said, heading to Hatter's room.

I nocked at the door. "Hatter? Are you awake?" I called as I nocked a few more times. A few seconds latter the door opened.

"Hey, you don't need to nock that much. I don't think Alice would appreciate you nocking down a perfectly good door." Hatter said.

"Note taken, are you ready?" She nodded, then closed and locked the door. I wanted to ask about what had happened the other night, but didn't dare to bring it up. "So, Alice said that she talked to you yesterday."

"She did", was it just me, or did Hatter seem a little uneasy?

"She told me that you were unwell." That really was all that Alice had said, but I knew that there was more that she wasn't telling me.

"Anything else?" Hatter asked.

"No, that was all she said. Was there anything else?"

"Why do you care?" She snapped. "It's none of your business."

"I don't, I was just wondering." I said quickly. "You know, you don't always have to be so defensive." And rude, and arrogant, and down right frustrating to be around. Although, I didn't say those out loud, I could tell that she knew I was thinking them.

"I'm sorry", she said softly. "I tend to over exaggerate situations in my mind." I was taken a back by her apology. Since when did The Mad Hatter ever think to apologize for anything that she did or said. This was unheard of.

"Look out!" My thoughts were broken by a hard thud as I tripped down a few steps and landed on the ground. "Are you alright?" Hatter asked me, I could tell that she was holding back laughter.

"I'm fine", I said from the ground. Alice walked into the room at this moment.

"Oh, good, you're awake", she said to Hatter. Then she noticed me. "Jack why are you on the floor?"

"No reason", I said as I picked myself up.

* * *

Hatter

I was beginning to be able to determine what a normal day was like here. This normal was much more normal than my old seance of normal, if that makes any seance to you. I couldn't help but feel just a little happy, for the first time since I had arrived here. My life was going to change, whether I liked it or not, I might as well get used to it. I still couldn't believe that I was thinking that.

Alice talked about teaching Jack how to drive. She asked me if I wanted to learn, but I decided against it. I didn't see why Jack was so anxious to learn how to operate a car. It seemed like a wast of time to me.

I could tell that Jack still hated me, he was just hiding this. Part of me didn't care what he thought, but a different part of me was hurt by this. I didn't want to have to face the fact that I wanted his approval, his friendship. That might even be the real reason that I wanted to change.

* * *

Why did he have such an effect on me? What made him so different for everyone else? I wondered this as I tried to fall asleep that night. What made Jack so special?

Was he still my enemy? Alice knew that I wanted to change, now. In fact it was her who had drilled the idea into my brain. But Jack didn't know, and I doubted that Alice had repeated our conversation.

My entire existence had altered in less than a week.

* * *

Jack

"You really should give her a chance", Alice said to me one morning. It had been a month after our arrival at the town. We had planed on opening the diner part of the inn in about a few weeks.

"I am", Alice had been bothering me for a while now about giving Hatter a second chance. She didn't understand how hard it was to forget everything that had happened back in Wonderland.

"No you're not, you say you are, but you're not." Alice had a way of reading peoples emotions and, sometimes, thoughts. She said that it was something that she had picked up over the years. "I don't see what's so hard."

"That's because you didn't see what she was callable of." I was getting tired of this argument. Why did Alice care anyway?

"She wants to change, she has for a long time."

"I know, you've told me a thousand times."

"Then why don't you listen to me?"

"I do", I finally said. "It's just hard. I promise I'll try to open my mind a bit more."

"Ok, I'll stop bugging you."

"Thank you."

"Alice, Mrs. Larkin is complaining about mice again", Hatter called as she walked into the room. "I for one say that she's making the whole thing up."

"She is", I said. "I checked the room five times."

"Mrs. Larkin isn't much of a lier", Alice said. "I think you two are just being lazy."

"And I think that you just don't want to have to tell her that her room is mice free." Hatter said sharply. They were both right.

* * *

"I still don't know why you're displaying them." I was talking to Alice about a small display cast with two hand guns in it. Apparently they were expensive or else Alice wouldn't be so proud of them. Well, I wouldn't say that she was proud, but she did feel the need to display them.

"I don't know, some people think that they look impressive." Alice said in a small voice, she had never shot, or seen anyone, shoot a gun in her life.

"Jack's just a pacifist, don't let him bother you", Hatter said, judging from her tone, she was barely listening to the conversation.

"For the last time, I'm not a pacifist. I just don't see the point in displaying weapons." I said. Hatter laughed and I could tell that Alice was no longer listening to me.

Not that this even mattered. I'd let Alice display what she wanted to, it was her inn after all.

* * *

Hatter

It wasn't hard to get through the day, it's not we were ever very busy. Alice and Jack spent at least two hours a day with their driving lessons. Jack was a quick learner, and was able to drive, but not park, the car.

Jack didn't trust me, I stopped hoping that he would. It wasn't fair for me to expect him to. I had tried to kill him.

I wished that I could have taken back all of the things that I had done in Wonderland. I was my own person now, and that gave me the empathy that I didn't have back then. I would have been discussed with myself if I could have seen what I would become, what I had become.

I was happier here, though. Being queen wouldn't really have made me happy. It wouldn't have made me feel any less empty inside.

I was happy, but there was something that had been nagging at me. It was hard to place exactly what it was, it was just a feeling that creeped into my core every so often. It normally happened when Jack was around, I thought that it was the reason that I so desperately wanted his forgiveness.

I didn't want to face what it really was.

* * *

**Scarlet Phlame, thanks for reviewing, dearie.**


	7. Missing

Hatter

So far, the diner that we had been working on was going great. Alice already had the space for it, the real task was getting the food. Alice had to teach Jack and I to cook.

Jack knew a little bit, but I had never had to cook for myself in my life. Alice started with simple foods like eggs, she figured that would be the most wanted breakfast food. This proved to be harder than she had anticipated.

Jack got a good laugh out of seeing me spill egg yoke all over myself. It took about a week for me to be able to master over-easy eggs. The more dishes I learned, the better I became. Of course, I wasn't as good as Alice or Jack, but I was getting the hang of it.

* * *

By the time of our grand opening, I was able to cover most of the simple dishes. We had been working late the night before, preparing for the big day. The three of us were tired, but Alice was too excited to go to bed.

"I can't believe we've come this far", Alice said. I knew that she wasn't just talking about the diner. She was talking about Jack and I, how far we had come here. "I hope people show up."

"They will." Jack said reassuringly.

"Lets hope they like eggs", Alice giggled as she said this. Her smile faded and she said seriously, "Thank you for helping me. I would never be able to do this on my own."

"With out you we wouldn't have lasted a day here." Said Jack. "We owe this to you."

"How old are you two?" She asked suddenly.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just tell me."

"We're both in our thirties", Jack answered before I could say anything. How did he know my age? Alice, I had a most forgotten about my other half. Yes, that was how he knew.

"I'm over a hundred years old, and I've never had anyone care about me." Alice said sadly. "I look younger than you two, but I'm really so old." Her voice broke. Most people would kill to be immortal, but I had never thought about how hard it must be. Nothing ever changes, no matter what she was frozen. Frozen and alone. She buried her head in her hands, I put my arm on her hand in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's ok", I whispered, not sure what else to say.

"I'm overreacting, I don't know what came over me." Alice said as she pulled her head up, wiping away tears.

"No, you have a right to be upset." She nodded, but had stopped crying.

"I should turn in", she said. "We have a busy day tomorrow."

"You're right", I said standing.

* * *

Jack

I couldn't shake the odd feeling that had come over me. I felt as if, for the first time, I had seen the side of Hatter that Alice had been talking about. She had seemed genuinely concerned for her friend.

Her changing was now so easy to believe, it was as if I had been trying to believe it the whole time. She was still a snarky and arrogant, but she was evil. Some how being snarky and arrogant didn't seem like that much of a bad thing.

There was something else as well. No, I wasn't feeling that! I'm not really thinking this, am I?

The other two had left the room, I was alone with my thoughts. I realized that tonight had to be the night. It was selfish of me to choose now, but I couldn't wait any longer. I didn't have to wait any longer.

* * *

Hatter

I had to wake up early to help Alice. When I came down, I was surprised to find her alone preparing for the diner's grand opening. "Where's Jack?" I asked.

"Still asleep. That's ok, I'll give him another hour, we can handle everything." It wasn't like Jack to sleep in, but Alice didn't seem worried so neither was I.

People filed in a few minutes after we opened. It was a bigger turn out than I had expected. Alice took order and served the food, because she was more of a people person than I was. This left me doing most of the cooking.

I managed to make most of the dishes good enough, but I had a feeling that I could mess up at any minute. I didn't particularly like to cook. I had to do it, but I had never found the skill enjoyable, and I'm not just saying that because I wasn't good at it.

* * *

"Where the hell is Jack?" I asked myself. I had been stuck in this kitchen for over an hour, and I felt as if I might explode if I had to stay here another secant. It wasn't like Jack to be late, maybe something was wrong. I cursed the worried sensation that came over me. Why did he even matter to me, anyway?

* * *

"I'm glad that's over!" I collapsed at a table as Alice hung the closed sign on the door. It was about five o'clock, and we were both very tired.

"We made a lot of money, and people seemed to like the food. This was a good day. Jack didn't ever show up, did he?" I shook my head.

"Let's check his room, maybe he's feeling ill." We made our way up to Jack's room, I swore that I would kill him if he had been up there the whole day.

Alice nocked twice on the door and called his name, there was no answer. We could see light coming out from under the door, so he was there after all. "Jack? Are you in there?" She sheepishly called.

"Jack open up now, or so help me I will break the door down!" I shouted, but there was no reply. "Stand back", I instructed Alice. I gave the door a good kick, but it didn't budge. Crap. I tired again, banning myself hard against the door.

"Stop!" Alice stepped in between me and the door. "I think I might have a spare key somewhere. Give me a minute, I'll go get it." She raced down the steps before I could utter a word in response.

I stood there, staring at the door, for a few minutes. Why wasn't Jack letting us in? Why wasn't he saying anything? One thing was for certain: everything was not ok.

"I found it!" Alice shouted as she ran up the stairs. She held up a key, and inserted it into the lock of Jack's room. She flung the door open almost dramatically.

The room was empty. We cautiously stepped inside, and looked around. Everything seemed to be in order.  
Suddenly, I felt a pain by looking at this room. I wasn't sure why, but as my eyes swept the tidy, ordinary room, I couldn't help but feel wrong. As if I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be looking at this space.

"Maybe he went out." Alice said. "Come on, lets have a look around town." I followed her the door.

Part of me knew that he wasn't anywhere in the town. He was long gone. Maybe he wasn't coming back.


	8. Everything Has An End

Jack

I tried to push the guilt from my mind, as I continued the long drive. Alice had left her frozen watch on the passengers seat, and I couldn't help but look at it every so often. It made my heart sink. I should have said something before taking off, but what could I have said?

I would be in New York soon. I knew the street of the apartment building, I just didn't know which one it was. That was ok, I could find it. I had to.

* * *

Hatter

"Alice, I'm done. He's not here." We had spent hours walking around the town. I wanted to give up. Jack was gone.

"I don't get it!" She exclaimed. "Why would he disappear?"

"I don't know. I don't know him, neither do you."

"I'm going to check the woods in the morning."

"Do you really think he's there?"

"I don't know, but I'm still checking." We began our walk home with sunken spirits.

"I'll come with you."

"No. I know my way around there, you'll just get in the way." I resisted the urge to comment on this. She was tired and so was I. There was no use in adding any more tension. "I'm sure he had a reason." Alice said softly.

"No you're not." I said coldly.

"Hatter, he wouldn't just take off without a reason. I do know him, and we both know that you do." I didn't want to listen to this. I didn't want to have to think about Jack, or why he had left. Or if he had even left, something could have happened to him.

I pushed these thoughts out of my head, I didn't want to face the fact that I was worried about him. This world had given me my own soul and made me weak, but I didn't have to show it right now. I didn't have to show the fact that I had began to care for that idiot.

* * *

Jack

I was sitting in the car, staring strait in front of me, that was I saw them. I saw her. Alice. My Alice.

She was walking out of the apartment building with her daughter, Chole, and a man that I had never met. The man's back was facing me, but, when he turned to look back at the building, I saw a glimpse of his face. What I saw shocked me.

Looking at him was like looking at a mirror. He looked exactly like me. I had know that I resembled Alice's husband, but I hadn't expected this.

He and Chole were walking one way, while Alice was getting into a yellow painted car. As if on auto pilot, I put my car into gear, following that car. My mind was in a haze, but I had come here for one reason: to see Alice. I didn't have to talk to her, but I needed to see her up close.

* * *

I followed them to what seemed to be a school, she came out of the car here. I pulled up along the side of the road, and watched her walk into the building. She turned her head when she was at the doorway. Our eyes met.

I zoomed out of there faster than I had ever driven before. My heart was pounding. My breath came out in gasps. I needed to go back. I needed to get out of here.

As I drove the only things that I could hear was the beating of my heart and the ticking of a watch.

* * *

Hatter

When I woke up that morning, I found that Alice had slid a note under my door. It read: _Hatter, I'm going out into the woods. When I woke up no one else was at the inn, I don't expect anyone will be until tonight. I know you can hold the fort. Alice._

When I walked down I knew that she was right. The place seemed almost deserted. I wasn't accustomed to the stillness that was all around me.

* * *

Despite my better judgement, I decided to have another look around Jack's room. Maybe there was something in there that I hadn't noticed before. Something that might tell me where he was.

There was a warm glow coming from the window as I stepped into the room. We hadn't even looked at anything in here when we had broken in. My eyes immediately feel on the desk.

Lying on top of it was my dagger that he had taken from me when we had fist arrived. Next to that was a map. I picked it up to have a closer look. It was a map of New York.

I ran to the small garage where I knew that Alice kept her car. I flung the door open and was greeted by an empty space. Why didn't we check to see if he had taken the car in the first place?

How had I been so stupid? Of course Jack was going to New York. Where else would he be?

I pulled my coat on and head to the woods to go find Alice.

* * *

Jack

It was one thirty, when I pulled up in front of the inn. I jumped out of the car, not caring that it was a no parking zone. The door was ajar, that worried me. Alice never left the door open.

When I walked in I noticed that a the papers the Alice, that normally kept in neat piles behind her desk, were scattered all over the floor. I let my eyes trace the floor line until I saw shattered glass. I looked up and saw the the display case, that Alice had kept those guns in, had bin busted.

One of the guns were gone.

* * *

Hatter

I was lost. I couldn't find Alice anywhere. It seemed I had underestimated the size of the woods.

I was wandering aimlessly among the trees, half hoping the Alice would step out form behind one of them at any moment. What was the point in following her out here? She obviously knew her way around better than I did.

I tired to keep the thought of Jack out of my head, but there was nothing else for me to think about. I told myself that I shouldn't be surprised. He was in love, it was only a matter of time before he left.

It shouldn't bother me, he could do what ever he wanted. His life shouldn't matter to me. Why did he matter to me?

I tried to think of something else, anything else, but I couldn't. I didn't want to admit the one thing had was haunting me, and probably would haunt me forever and ever. I didn't want to admit that I was falling for Jack.

Jack. After everything that had happened, why him? Why me?

He hated me, and always would. He had the right to. Even if I had changed, I shouldn't expect him to believe it. I wouldn't if I was him.

I heard a twig snap behind me, I slowly turned. There, standing a few feet away, was a man that I had never seen before. He look deranged, he was coated in dirt and had an odd smile plastered on his face.

"Where' Alice?" His voice was gruff and scratchy. Then it hit me. This was the man that she had trapped, they were unfrozen at last.

"Excuse me?" I said with my old air of authority. He approached me, but I stood me ground. I noticed the gun in his hand, but refused to be afraid of this man.

"Where is Alice?"

"Do you even know who you're talking to?"

"I don't care who I'm talking to." He raised the gun at me. "Where is she?" If I told him that I didn't know what he was talking about he wouldn't believe me. This man was insane, and would shoot me if I didn't give him a strait answer.

"Who's asking?" I didn't want to go this way, but I wasn't going to give him any information.

"You know where she is. Tell me or I will kill you." My heart began to beat faster, but I tried not to show it. I gave a smooth laugh.

"I guess you're going to have to kill me", I in a sing-song like voice. I sounded like my old self, that felt a little good.

"This isn't a joke", he said, taking a step closer and cocking his gun.

"I know", I said, smiling sweetly. "But I'm not telling you anything", I whispered the last part.

I wasn't going to regret this. I was going to die a better person and a good friend. This was the end, and it didn't matter. What was my life worth anyway?

There was no reason for me to live.

I didn't close my eyes. I didn't hold my breath. In a secant it would be over. It would be all over.

BANG


	9. Seeing Through Different Eyes

Jack

The gun in my hand shook. I couldn't believe that I had just shot a man. I had killed someone that I didn't even know.

Alice stood behind me, she looked as if she might faint. She had found me back at the inn. I don't know how she knew that Hatter had come out here, but I was glad that she did. I was glad that I hadn't been too late.

The body seemed to fall in slow motion. Hatter started at the man for a moment, she looked confused. That was when she saw us.

I lowered my gun. My heart was racing. It seemed that I had been more scared than Hatter was. Why?

I decided to ask myself that latter. This wasn't the time or place for me to do some soul searching.

* * *

Hatter

For a moment I thought that he had actually shot me. That I was dead. I had heard the bang, but felt nothing. I was shocked when he was the one who fell to the ground, blood staining his shirt. My ears were ringing from the gun shot.

Jack had shot him. Jack had save my life. Jack had come back.

I tried hard not to stare at the dead body at my feet, but my eyes found it anyway. If it wasn't for the blood that was spreading across his shirt, he looked as if he could be sleeping. I felt like I was going to be sick.

My eyes rested on Jack and Alice. Alice's face was pale and was get whiter by the secant. Jack looked stunned. It seemed that he had found yet another way to be the hero.

"Are you alright?" He asked me in a soft voice. I nodded.

Jack looked at the body, I knew that he was wondering what we were going to do with it. "Alice?" My voice came out stronger than I thought that it would. She looked at me, I figured that was the best answer that I would get. "You need to banish him to Wonderland."

"What?!" Jack looked at me as if I had gone mad.

"Just try, you were able to freeze him."

"How?" Her voice came out in a whisper.

"Come here", she walked to my side on shaking legs. "Just say, as loud and as regally as you possibly can: 'I banish you to Wonderland!' " She nodded slowly. I took a step back, hoping this would work.

"I banish you to Wonderland!" She shouted.

There was a loud rumple, and the ground beneath us opened up and swallowed the body. I pulled Alice back, and saw Jack jump backwards. It had worked!

* * *

Jack

I gapped at what had just happened, you'd think that by now I would be used to this sort of thing. "How did you-"

"I have no idea!" Alice said before she fainted. Hatter caught her arms and lowered her to the ground, kneeling beside her.

"It's been a stressful day for her", Hatter said to me.

"For all of us", I joined her beside Alice. "We'd better get her back to the inn." Hatter nodded, but was staring out in to space.

* * *

I carried Alice back to the inn. We had used the backdoor, not wanting to attract attention. Neither of us had ever been to her room and didn't know where she kept keys anyway, so we laid her down in Hatters bed.

Hatter closed the blinds and turned off all of the lights, before leaving the room. "We should let her rest. Maybe when she wakes up she'll think that it was all a dream." Hatter said, more to herself than to me.

"I doubt it." She suddenly turned and looked at me, as if she had only now noticed that I was there.

"What are you doing here?"

* * *

Hatter

My voice had come out cold, but I didn't care. "Why did you come back?" I expected him to stare at his feet, but he met my gaze.

"I always planed on coming back."

"Then why didn't you tell either of us?"

"You would stop me from going, don't deny it." He was right, but that wasn't good enough for me.

"So you stole her car in the middle of the night?"

"I doubt that she even noticed it's absence."

"Yes, but we noticed yours", I had said "we". "She noticed yours." I added but I knew that he had heard what I originally said. "Why did you even go if you planed on returning?"

"You won't understand."

"Tell me anyway." He sighed, and hesitated for a moment.

"I had to see her", he finally said. "I needed to make sure that it had been real."

"That what had been real?"

"My feelings for her." I felt my heart begin to cry out in despair, but I told it to shut up.

"Then why did you come back?"

"Because I was wrong."

* * *

Jack

Part of me didn't know why I was telling this to her of all people, but another part me wanted her to know. "I did love her, once. But now she doesn't need me. She's happy without me." I tried to will the tears that had now formed in my eyes away, but I couldn't.

"I'm sorry", Hatter said softly. Did she mean that? Did she really feel sorry for me?

"No, it's good. We were never meant to be. She has a life and I can begin again." As I spoke those words I began to believe them.

* * *

Hatter

I felt a rush of hope, but soon dismissed it. This doesn't mean anything. He would still never want me.

"I'm happy for you", I didn't care how foolish and sentimental sounded. I wanted him to know that I meant it.

"Thank you", he said. Since the beginning of the conversation. his eyes had never left mine. "You really scarred me today. I thought that man was going to kill you, and that you were going to let him."

"There was nothing that I could do."

"I know, but I would have expected someone like you to..." His voice trailed off.

"To what?" I could feel myself turning red. "To tell him where Alice was? To be a spineless snitch?! Is that what you think I am?!" I was shouting but I didn't care.

"No, that's not what I meant! I'm sorry!" Jack put his hand on my arm, trying to calm me down. I wanted to push him down the stairs, but I took a few deep breaths, ceasing control of my anger.

"Thank you for saving me", I finally said.

"You would have done the same for me." I was stunned for a secant. Those words meant the world. They meant that he didn't see me as a monster anymore. "I'm sorry about what I said, I wasn't thinking."

"I understand, I'm going to go check on Alice." I left him standing there, in the middle of the hall.


	10. Everything Happens For A Reason

Jack

Today it was as if I had seen Hatter for the first time. I couldn't explain it. There was something in her that I had never noticed before. No, I must have seen it at least once.

I only say that because of the emotions that I had felt when I saw her at gun point. I had felt so scared for her. Enough for me to shoot that man.

I had never imagined myself killing another person. I felt a wave of both guilt and pride. Guilt because I had ended a life. What I had done could not be undone. Pride because I had protected Hatter. I had saved her.

* * *

Hatter

I sat near the bed, where Alice was sleeping. I expected her to wake up at any moment. I was surprise that my shouting at Jack hadn't woken her.

The room was dark and peaceful, the opposite of how I was feeling inside. I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. Jack had really shot that man to protect me.

I had never thought him capable of killing. He was too good to spill someone else's blood. Then what had just happened?

What was happening? He had seemed like a different person. Everything that I thought that I knew about him changed in an instant.

Well, almost everything. There was still one thing that I knew for sure. This had proved it even more. I was in love with him.

Alice awoke with a start, jolting strait up, breathing heavily. "Alice", I said in a calm tone. "Are you ok?" She looked at me and nodded.

"I'm not frozen anymore."

"I guess you're not." She let out a long sigh.

"You don't know how free I feel right now." I gave her a weak smile.

"Do you feel better?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well you did faint."

"Oh", she paused for a moment. "I'm ok. Are you?"

"Yes."

"I am so sorry. I can't bare to imagine what would have happened if Jack hadn't-"

"You don't have to think about that." I said quickly. "Let's just focus on the good things that happened today, alright?" She nodded and I smiled.

* * *

Jack

I was sitting alone in the new diner. I had cleaned up the mess in the other room, not wanting it to alarm anyone. I had closed the curtains over the windows, so that passers by couldn't look in and see me.

I had never felt more lost and alone in my life. Nothing made sense any more. The few things that I depended on to be fact had turned out to be fiction.

I felt as if I didn't know myself anymore. I had been lying to myself my whole life. This wasn't true, I had always been truthful to myself, at least I used to be. Now I didn't know anymore.

"Jack are you in here?" It was Hatter's voice. I was tempted to not say anything. I couldn't talk to her. She was the reason that I was feeling so conflicted. But I knew that it wasn't her fault.

"Yes", I called back. A moment latter, she was at the doorway.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Thinking", I said simply. She sat down across from me.

"About what happened?"

"About everything."

"Alice is free now. That's one good thing to think about." I tried to smile, but I couldn't.

"Are you ok? I want an honest answer, Jack." I didn't want to have to vent to her, but I knew that she might be able to understand what I was going through.

"I'll survive." She smirked.

"I thought you'd say something like that. Don't beat your self up about anything that happened today. Everything happens for a reason, and the important part is that none of us got hurt." I was surprised that she could speak such wise words, I told her this.

"Jack, you of all people should know that I'm anything but wise. That was just common sense." She laughed, not a hurtful laugh or a snarky, but a real, genuine laugh.

"You know, I think you have a pretty laugh, when you're not using it to insult me."

"Sometimes you just make it to easy."

"Oh do I now, Hattie?"

"Really, you're still using that one?"

"Yes, Hattie, I most certainly am." I said, grinning.

"Jack, it's getting annoying."

"That's the point." She gave me a look, but ended up laughing through it.

I never would have expected that she would be able to make me feel better, but she had.


	11. Only Friends

Hatter

I suggested closing the diner for a day, so that Alice could rest, but she wouldn't hear of it. Luckily, this time Jack was here to help with the cooking. The crowd was as big as it had been before, which delighted Alice.

Jack "accidentally" spilt flour all over me when we were trying to make pancakes. I dropped an egg on his shirt, on "ancient" as well. "Hey, what was that for?" He demanded.

"What was what for?" I asked oh so sweetly.

"You did that on purpose."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did, Hattie." I rolled my eyes, but had grown used to him calling me that.

At that moment Alice walked in. She gaped at the mess. "What happened?"

"Nothing", Jack said hiding laughter.

"You're covered in egg, that's not nothing!"

"Oh, that...I...um..." I accepted the fact that he would never be a good lier.

"I tripped and knocked that flour off the table. I accidentally threw the egg in my hand at Jack." She gave me a look that said she didn't believe that for a secant.

"You can tell me what really happened later, just clean up the mess." She was about to leave, but turned back to add: "No more food fights!"

The moment that she was gone, we bursted into laughter.

* * *

Jack

I never understood why first impressions are the hardest opinions to shake. This was hardly fair, because first impressions are usually wrong. It had taken to long for me to be able to look past my first impression of Hatter, but I was glad that I did. I had been wrong about her, so wrong that it pained me to think of my old opinion.

* * *

Hatter

It was about a month after the opening of the diner. Jack and I had been getting along as if we were old friends. Alice seemed happier than she had ever been before, which is scarily happy.

Alice said that Jack and I should try to talk threw our past to find closure. I explained to her that neither of us were looking for closer, but she wouldn't listen. I think that she just wanted to play therapist.

I told her that if she wanted she could ask us questions about what had happened in Wonderland, instead of us having to tell her the whole story. She liked that idea, but Jack didn't.

"It's a bad idea", he said. "It's only going to stir up emotions that we are trying to forget."

"If you don't talk about it now, then you'll never be able to forget those emotions." Alice said.

"Jack, maybe she has a point", I put in. "She won't stop going on about it if we don't. Let's just get it over with."

"Fine", he said at last.

* * *

Alice mostly asked boring questions that didn't "stir up" anything. I could tell that she was avoiding upsetting questions. I knew that this wasn't going the way she had expected.

"Ok, never mind, I have things to be doing right now." She said. "It doesn't matter how you guys got here, the point is that you ended up here." She added before she left.

Those words made me start thinking about how we had arrived. The Queen had banished me because she found out that I was trying to have her executed. She had found out because Jack and Alice had showed her the execution list. But how did they get the list?

I pondered that for a long time. Not that it mattered, but it was still something that I would like to know. Not knowing wouldn't stop bothering me me.

When I couldn't take it any longer, I decided to just ask Jack. He had thought for a long time, as if trying to find the right way to tell me. "The March Hare. We cornered him after we had freed your...um...after we had freed my four fellow knights. He was out numbered and, as you know, rabbits are cowards." I nodded slowly.

"So he betrayed me."

"Hatter, why does it matter?"

"It doesn't." I felt like I was telling that more to myself than to him.

"Good." He hesitated before saying: "Do you wish you could go back?"

"No", I said. I didn't want to go back.

* * *

Jack

"You like her, don't you?" It was the end of yet another day, Hatter had decided to turn in early, leaving Alice and I alone. My eyes were still resting on the top of the stairs, where Hatter had just left.

"Excuse me?" Her question caught me off guard.

"You're falling for Hatter", she said as if she was discussing the weather.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. You just don't want to admit it yet."

"You're making things up."

"Jack, I know everything, I don't have to make things up." I couldn't read her emotion. "I think I'll turn in early as well." No matter how hard I tried, I would never understand that woman.

What she said was beginning to bother me. What had given her the idea that I was falling for Hatter? I mean, sure we were friends now, but that was all, right?

Right?

Hatter and I had a complicated past. Was it to complicated for me to admit that I was attracted to her? There, I said it, I was attracted to Hatter.

But that didn't mean that I was in love with her.

And she definitely wasn't in love with me.

* * *

Hatter

Alice woke me up at the crack of dawn, saying that she needed to talk to me. "Can this wait a few hours?" I asked sleepily as I opened the door to my room.

"Yes, but it won't." She said, walking in to my room before I had invited her.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, sit down." She commanded in a no nonsense tone of voice. "How long are you planning to wait for him to realize how blind he is?"

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Jack likes you, he just doesn't know it yet." I never told her that I was in love with him. I thought that I had covered the whole thing nicely.

"I think you're still half a sleep", I told her.

"I'm not, but you are." I decided not to ask.

"I don't like Jack."

"Well I talked to him about it-"

"You what?!" I blurted before I could stop myself.

"I knew it!" She jumped up, out of her seat. "You can go back to sleep now." With that, she dashed out of the room.

What had I just done?

* * *

**Thank you to both Scarlet Phlame's for reviewing. **


	12. An Unexpected Visitor

Jack

The three of us were talking a walk out side of town. We didn't plan on going to far, but the fresh air was nice. "I haven't been this far away for ages", Alice said.

We were approaching the spot where Hatter and I had come through. I was about to say something about it, when we all stopped in our tracks. There, standing right where I had remembered standing a few months ago, was the March Hare.

We just stood there staring at each other for a good minute or two. He was only a few feet away from us. He started to slowly approach, as if he was questioning weather or not we were really real.

He was about to say something, but was cut off by Hatter's first making contact with his face. The punch was hard enough to nock him to the ground. It took a moment for Alice and I to fully register what had happened.

I held Hatter back, knowing that she planed on strike again. "What the hell are you doing here?!" She screamed at him.

"T-the Queen sent me. There was a body that came from here", he stammered.

"Oh, so, after you betrayed me, she gave you a job?"

"I didn't mean to." That was all that he managed to get out, but it was enough to make Hatter explode.

"Did mean to what? To hand my enemy the means for my destruction? I trusted you!" This was the first time that she had referred to me as "her enemy" in ages. I told myself that she was upset and not to let it bother me. I was still holding her back, and expected her to kick or hit me, to make me let go, at any second, but she didn't.

"But you're with him right now?" The hare said with a confused expression.

"That doesn't matter!"

"Hatter, calm down", she stiffened as I said this, but said nothing.

"Who's body was found?" Alice asked.

"No one knew him. He looked like someone who had lived in Wonderland a long time ago."

"If you want to get home, you'll have to find the rabbit hole. It's in an apartment building, discussed as an elevator." The March Hare nodded at Alice's words. "Walk that way."

She pointed in the direction away from the town, but offered no further directions. He looked at me and Hatter for a moment, before hopping away.

I waited until he was out of sight, before releasing Hatter. She still shook with anger.

"It's ok to still be mad", I told her.

"He was the only one that I had dared to trust."

"I know. He's a snake in the grass."

"He looked like a hare to me", said Alice, as she starred off into space. "It's a joke." She added when she saw that looks that we were giving her.

* * *

Hatter

Seeing Morris had brought up so much hate. Before Jack had told me, I hadn't been able to picture Morris betraying me. Now I knew how The Queen had felt when she had found out about my plan to kill her (this didn't make me feel sorry for her, but I understood what she felt towards me). I had wanted to kill that hare.

I probably would if Jack hadn't been there to stop me. He was just being a hero again. I was glad that he had held me back, because I wouldn't have wanted him or Alice to watch me end a life.

Jack had held me back. He had literally held me in his arms, even if it was only to stop me from hurting Morris. I sounded like a giddy teenage girl, but part of me could get over this.

I told myself that I was being a fool and to just give up already. Jack wouldn't ever love me. But part of me still hung on to the impossible.

* * *

Jack

"Do you really think that he's gonna make it to New York?" I asked Alice.

"No, not really, but the point is that I pointed him in the right direction." I shook my head.

"You are the hardest person to understand."

"I'm harder than Hatter? Yay, that feels like such an accomplishment!" She wasn't being sarcastic.

"Hatter's not that hard to understand, once you get to know her."

"Oh, I know. I just thought it would be hard for you."

"I'm not following."

"Why can't you just admit that you're falling for her. She's her own person now, so I don't see why there's anything wrong with you admitting at least to yourself."

"Alice, I don't want to have this discussion."

"Fine, but just think about that fact that you should be truthful to yourself."

I tried not to let this conversation bother me, but I couldn't get it out of my head. Why was this so important to her? She knew how hard it had been for Hatter and I just to become friends. Why did she keep insisting that there was something more?

Was there something more? Hatter couldn't possibly care for me anymore than I thought that she did. Then, again, she had always been good at hiding her emotions. At this point I really didn't know what to think.

* * *

Hatter

Time seemed to pass without warning. No of us really minded this, but it was a little startling how fast three weeks could go by. Nothing had happened since that day that we had seen The March Hare.

Well, Jack was starting to act a little around me. That go get irritating. "Are you alright?" I asked him one day. We we washing dishes in the kitchen of the diner. Alice was busy closing it up and whipping the tables. "You seem a little agitated lately."

"I'm fine."

"Fine is a boring word that is people normally use when they're feel this opposite of what it means." He grinned at that.

"I really am fine, Hatter."

"Ok." The was a silence for a moment.

"Do you ever miss Wonderland?" He asked. I thought about that question for a few seconds before answering.

"A little. I mean, it was the only home that I had ever known. But it's better here."

"I miss some of my old friends there. They probably think that I'm dead by now."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine."

"I never had any friends. I had followers, bur no friends." We had both forgotten our task, but I was still holding a cup in my right hand.

"You have friends now." He said warmly.

"I know." He was looking at me now. My eyes met his. He had deep, soft brown eyes. He leaned in closer to me, our faces were only inches away. I could feel myself leaning closer to him, not fully in control of myself. Was this really happening.

Suddenly, Jack drew back, taking a few steps backwards, away from me. "I have to go", he stammered, before dashing out of the room.

I slammed my hand hard on the counter in front of me, shattering the glass cup that I still had in my grasps. The glass cut my hands, and I let out a small cry of pain. Tears stung my eyes, but I wasn't crying because of the fiery pain that was dancing along my hand.

"What happened?" Alice ran into the room.

"Nothing!" I shouted at her. She looked at my hand.

"That's not nothing", she stated simply.

* * *

Alice helped my clean and bandage the cut on my hand. I watched her clean the broken glass from the flour. "What happened?" She asked again.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Where's Jack? I thought he was supposed to be-"

"I said I didn't want to talk about it!" I shouted, loosing my temper. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to lash out."

"No, I understand. I understand everything."


	13. Love (The End)

Hatter

Jack and I barely talked for the next few days. I didn't blame him for trying to avoid me, for I was in no hurry to speak to him. However, our constant silence did upset Alice. "How long do plan on ignoring him?" She asked me.

"I don't know."

"Well he's not going to start a conversation."

"Why does it bother you?"

"Because it's awkward to be in the same room with you two." She paused for a secant before adding: "And I know how the both of you feel."

"Just stop trying to play matchmaker." I said coldly. She looked a little hurt.

"I'm only trying to help."

"But I don't want you to help. Not with this." I was trying hard not to lash out at her.

"Ok, I'll stop, but only because I think that this is at the point where it'll work it self out."

What was that supposed to mean?

* * *

One day Alice had instructed us to repaint the sign above the inn. Neither of us were very good artists, but the sign was coming out alright. The paint bucket was balanced on the ladder, and Jack was standing directly under it. The bucket was shaking a little. "Jack, you might want to move", I said.

"What?" He said, not even looking up from the signs design that Alice had given him.

"The paint is going to-oh, never mind." At the moment I didn't care if he was splattered with the paint, I could use good laugh.

That was when the car pulled up. Not many people in the town owned cars, and those that did didn't drive them often. The car caught both Jack's and mine attention. He stepped out from under the ladder.

The front door to the car opened, and out stepped Alice, our Alice.

What was she doing here? How on Earth did she find this place? She just stood there. I couldn't move. My mind was racing. She was looking at Jack, maybe she hadn't noticed me.

I heard the paint bucket fall, but didn't even turn my head to look at the mess it had made. I heard a voice coming from the inn. "What was that?" Neither of us answered, "Please don't tell me that you spilt paint all over my porch."

She stuck her head out of the door, and only saw the paint. "Really? How do you manage to make a mess out of every job I give you?" She looked up and noticed the other Alice. "Hello", she said in a friendly tone. "Are you knew to town?"

I turned my head towards her and motioned for her to shut up. She got the message, but signaled for me to come inside. I didn't want to, but I didn't like that idea of staying out here either.

"Who is that?" She asked me once she had closed the door. My eyes didn't leave the small window that allowed me to still se Alice and Jack.

"That's Alice", I tried to keep the hate that I felt for the woman out of my voice.

"But", her eyes widened as she realized what I meant. "How did she get here?" I looked hard at the car and noticed that someone was in the passengers seat. Someone that I knew.

"Morris. We shouldn't have sent him to New York." The thought of him running into Alice had never crossed my mind. I was foolish not to consider it, the rabbit hole was in her apartment building after all.

It looked like Jack and her were speaking now. I both longed to and hoped that I would never had to know what they were saying. "I think that I need to sit down." I said as I ran from the room. I didn't stop running until I was alone in my room and had shut the door behind me.

I didn't want to have to look at her anymore.

* * *

Jack

Alice and I talked for a long time. It took a while to convince her that she wasn't insane and that I was real. It's hard to describe the conversation.

"I don't understand why you didn't try to say anything to me", she was talking about when I had come to New York.

"I just felt like I couldn't. You had your life, I shouldn't have even been there." That was all that I really could say on the subject.

When we were done talking she said that she needed to go. "Back to New York?" I didn't know why I was asking, where else would she go?

"I didn't tell anyone where I was going when I left. They'll probably be worried."

"By they you mean your husband." She looked a little guilty, but she nodded.

"I'm sorry, Jack."

"No, you should go." I didn't mean for my voice to come out as harsh as it did.

"Do you still...I mean in Wonderland..we..."

"No. You have a life here, and now so do I. If I haven't already ruined it." We where standing near her car.

"Thank you Jack", she gave my a kiss on the cheek, before pulling herself into the drives seat.

"Alice?"

"Yes?"

"Do you mind giving me a chance to speak to The March Hare?"

"Not at all." I saw her say something to him, then he pulled himself out of the car.

"What?" He asked me.

"When you get back to Wonderland, you are going to tell The Queen that Hatter is dead. If you don't I will kill you like I killed that man that you found." He swallowed nervously. "Do you understand?"

"Yes." He said quickly.

"Good." That was the first time that I had threatened someone like that, but I had to. I knew that if The Queen knew that Hatter was alive, she would send someone to get rid of her. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let anything happen to her.

Now I realized that I was in love with her. I had been since the day that she had almost been shot, maybe even since our arrival here. I needed to tell her this, even if she didn't feel that same way.

* * *

Hatter

I sat on the bed, alone in my room. Alice had nocked on the door once, but I had told her to go away. I didn't want to have to talk to anyone. I didn't even want to think.

Jack had said that he had moved on from Alice (please tell me that you know which on I'm talking about), but he could have only been saying that because he knew that he should move on. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Was that because he was surprised that she was here or because he still had feelings for her?

How couldn't he still have feelings for her. I used to think that I was all that she wished she was, but really I wished that I could be her. I wish I could have the hope that I had been unable to stamp out of her. I wished that I could have the love that she had in her life.

I didn't want to admit any of these things, but I knew that they were the truth. They had the power to slowly destroy me. I didn't want to have to see her again. Part of me still wanted to hurt her. To find someway to bring her down.

I pushed these thoughts out of my mind. I didn't want this. I didn't want to be my old self. I didn't want my life to centered around trying to hurt my other half. I wanted to let go and move on. I didn't want to have to think about her.

I heard a nock on the door. "I told you to go away!" I shouted.

"Hatter, it's me." Jack's voice came through the door. I didn't know if I wanted to talk to him or not. "Can I please come in?"

"Yes", I said before I could stop myself. He opened the door slowly.

"You ok?" His voice was full of concern. I nodded, but he could tell that I wasn't ok. "Can I talk to you?"

"Yes", he sat down next to me.

"Alice left. The March Hare told her where the town was, that's how she found it."

"Did she send him back to Wonderland?"

"When they get back she will." I sudden thought burst into my head.

"Jack, what if he tells The Queen about us?!" I tried not to sound afraid.

"It's ok. I took care of that." I raised an eyebrow.

"You did?"

"Yes." I wondered what Jack had said to Morris.

"So, you spoke to Alice."

"Yes I did."

"And?"

"She mainly needed to make sure that she wasn't crazy."

"Oh." We were both silent for a few secants.

"Hatter, there is something that I need to tell you." He looked a little uneasy.

"Ok", I wasn't sure what else to say.

"I'm not sure how I say this so I just will." I nodded. "I'm in love with you."

I was momentarily stunned. Did I hear him correctly? I tried to say something, anything, but my voice wouldn't work. "I've been in love with you ever since that day that you were almost shot, I just didn't fully understand it until now. I understand if you don't feel the same way, but I just needed to tell you."

"No", I managed to get out. "I do feel the same way." I willed myself not to cry, but this felt like a miracle. "I've felt the same way for the longest time!"

"Really?" I couldn't believe the way that he was looking at me, there was so much love and warmth in his eyes. He reached forward and took my hands in his. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"What was I supposed to say? You hated me at first."

"Please don't say that! don't remind me of how blind I was." I gave him a shy smile at these words.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is this moment." Was this really happening?  
Jack pulled me into a tight embrace. That was when the dreaded tears came streaming from my eyes, but I didn't care. I didn't care that I was being so soft. Love isn't weakness, I realized that now.

I was where I never would have expected myself to be: in the arms of the man who I loved more than anything. Jack loved me! Someone like him actually loved someone like me.

We could hear someone nocking at the door, but neither of us moved to answer it. I didn't want to ever have to leave Jack's embrace. For once, my world was perfect.

* * *

**This is the final chapter of A Twist of Fate!**

**I'm crently working on a sequel, but it probably won't be up for a few weeks.**

**Thanks to Scarlet Phlame and Madame Mayor for reviewing. **

**Thank you for reading, please R and R!**


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